September 12, 2020 Storm Complex
The September 12th, 2020 Storm Complex was a severe weather outbreak that affected portions of eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. The outbreak consisted of several tornadoes, strong winds, and heavy rains. A total of 35 tornadoes were reported, and 23 died. The outbreak has became one of the costliest severe weather outbreaks in Iowa history. Tornadoes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Notable Tornadoes Wayland, Iowa EF4 The Wayland, Iowa EF4 tornado touched down around 6:13 PM about 5 miles west of Wayland. The tornado quickly got stronger and grew in size as it approached the town, doing EF2 damage to the few buildings int hit before the town. The twister would do low-end EF3 damage to the houses it would hit on the west side of town. However, near the center of town, the tornado would strike a grain processing plant. Preliminary ratings would rate the damage at the plant high-end EF3, however, they would end up changing their rating to low-end EF4 after further assessment. The tornado would soon hit another grain processing plant, where high-end EF3 damage would be seen, before the tornado would exit the community. Soon after leaving town, the tornado likely hit its peak intensity, as small amounts of ground scouring were reported. A nearby doppler on wheels recorded winds around 185 MPH. Around this same time, the tornado spawned a small anticyclonic tornado that would be rated EF0. The tornado would then rapidly weaken, and die soon after crossing US Route 218. = Washington, Iowa EF3 (1 death) The Washington, Iowa EF3 tornado touched down shortly after the Wayland EF4 did. The tornado quickly became stronger, but stayed relatively thin. The tornado crossed Highway 1, where the tornado would hit a small trailer park. There, an elderly man would be killed by the tornado. The twister would then move into town, hitting Washington High School. Washington High School would suffer low-end EF3 damage. The tornado would then strike an apartment complex, where similar damage would be reported. The tornado would also hit the Washington County Hospital, where EF3 damage would be reported. The tornado would then hit residential portions of western Washington, and hit the WHS football field, where more EF2-EF3 damage would be reported. The tornado would then strike a Walmart Supercenter, where EF2 damage would also occur. The tornado would go on for another 2 miles or so, before lifting. Riverside-River Junction EF3 The tornado touched down a few miles away from Riverside, where it quickly began to strengthen. Within a few minutes, the tornado had became a massive wedge tornado. By the time it would hit Riverside, the entire town would be consumed by the tornado, leading to every building either being destroyed or damaged. Here, the tornado was rated a high-end EF3, however, the NWS office in Davenport said that it was "highly plausible" that the tornado produced EF4 damage, but the buildings in town were not built well enough the warrant an EF4 rating. Thankfully, everyone in town would survive. The tornado would continue, crossing US Route 218, before crossing the Iowa River, and hitting the hamlet of River Junction, destroying the entire town. The houses in the town would suffer EF2 damage. The tornado would quickly die, lifting about a mile north west of the village of Lone Tree. Iowa City, Iowa EF4 *16 deaths* Main Article: September 12, 2020 Iowa City, Iowa Tornado Fairfax-Cedar Rapids, Iowa EF3 ''' *1 death* The tornado touched down 2.5 miles away from the village of Fairfax. The tornado then quickly began to intensify as it moved for the town. It would soon enter the village, commiting High end EF2 damage on the north side of town. However, NWS surveyors discovered that a house on Park Street suffered low end EF3 damage. The tornado would continue, crossing Praire Creek before moving over farm fields before eventually hitting the Wendley Quarries complex. It would then continue into the highly industrialized southern Cedar Rapids area, where several Well built factories would suffer EF3 damage. Several factories would see their roofs torn off, and outer walls collapsing, as well as severe damage to the interior of the building. At the Metal Design Systems Plant, the manager of the plant, trying to evacuate employees to the factories designated tornado shelter, would die after the building would collapse on him. He would be called a hero for his actions. The tornado would then continue over farmland south of the banks of the Cedar River, where it would quickly dissipate, and eventually lift near Big Bend Road. However, the KHAK-FM Radio tower, as well as a few homes on Big Bend Road would suffer low end EF2 and EF1 damage respectively before the tornado lifting. Olin-Hale, Iowa EF3 *1 death* Around 9:30 PM, The same supercell that produced the Fairfax-Cedar Rapids EF3 produced the Olin-Hale EF3. The tornado touched down in farm fields just outside the Muskrat Slough Wildlife preserve. The tornado would then rapidly intensify, as it would move directly for the village of Olin. The tornado would enter the village, directly hitting the downtown area, dealing mid-EF3 damage to many of the buildings. Teh tornado would then hit portions of residential eastern Olin, before leaving the town as quickly as it arrived. Do to severed gas pipes, several fires would ravage the town shortly after the tornado hit. One of these fires would be responsible for killing an elderly woman. Several other people would suffer severe burns. The tornado would then strike forested areas east of the town, eventually crossing the Wapsipinicon River several times, traversing wooded and agricultural lands, dodging any structures, before just barely missing the hamlet of Hale, before hitting a agricultural plant. At this point the tornado had greatly weakend, and had begun to commit EF0 damage. It would soon lift, less than a mile away from the agricultural plant. '''Fruitland, Iowa EF2 Around the same time Olin was being hit by an EF3, a high end EF2 tornado from the same supercell that produced the Washington, Iowa EF3 would touchdown west of the town of Fruitland. The tornado would rapidly intensify before hitting the runways of the Muscatine Airport. One plane left on the runway would be totaled. The tornado would continue, Crossing Highway 61-92, before hitting the northern edge of Fruitland. The far northern residential portions of the city would suffer Mid level EF2 damage. However, the main portions of the town that would be effected would be the industrial district of Fruitland, where several industrial plants would suffer high end EF3 damage. The gargantuan Kent Distribution Center would suffer the worst damage. Original surveys rated the damage at the distribution center low end EF3, but controversially lowered the rating to high end EF2 after further analysis. The twister would then continue east, eventually hitting a small trailer park, where several people would be injured. The tornado would then enter the Deep Lakes Park, where it would begin quickly dissipating. The tornado would then begin crossing the Mighty Mississippi River, but would not make it across, as the tornado would lift midway over the river. Milan-Quad City International Airport, Illinois EF3 From the same supercell that produced the Fruitland, EF2 and the Washington EF3, another strong tornado would touchdown well into the nightime hours. The tornado would touch down over the Milan John Deere Plant, doing very minor damage to the roof, before it would begin to rapidly intensify. The tornado woul cross the Rock Island-Milan Parkway, and onto the Quad City Int Airport grounds. The tornado would strike portions of the airports western airstrip, before striking the Deere & Co. Aviation hanger, flattening the poorly constructed building. The damage would be rated high end EF2. The twister would continue over the runways, before hitting the main part of the airport, severely damaging most of the structure. A majority of the damage done to the building would be rated mid EF3 damage. Several security guards and one civilian would be injured at the airport. The tornado would soon strike several hotels right outside of the airport grounds, directly hitting the Quality Inn and Suites, where high end EF3 damage would be done. The Hampton Inn and Suites and the Country Inn and Suites would be hit, also. The twister would also strike the Airports US Customs and Border Protection building, as well as a small residential subdivision, where high end EF3 damage would occur. The twister would then cross I-280 and the Rock River into the Veterans Memorial Park in South Moline. The twister would then hit souther portions of the Green Valley sports complex, worst effecting the Action Valley Paintball complex. The tornado would then continue into rural areas, striking the northern banks of the Rock River and the Coaltown Slough. The twister would then continue into highly forested portions of the region, before lifting over the Bowles Slough. This supercell would recycle a few minutes later, producing an EF1 that would hit the city of Colona. Later that evening, the southern portion of the cell would split and combine with a storm just to the south of the supercell, that would eventually produce an EF0 Just south of Geneseo. North Davenport, Iowa EF3 *5 deaths* At essentially the same time that the Milan-Quad City International Airport EF3 tornado was on the ground, another EF3 tornado was on the ground in northern Davenport, Iowa. The tornado spawned from the same supercell that spawned the Riverside-River Junction EF3 tornado. The tornado touched down in a residential neighborhood near Buchanan Elementary School. The twister would then begin the road to rapid intensification, quickly starting to produce EF1 and EF2 damage to homes in the area. Do to the tornadoes quick development, tornado sirens would sound late at this point, leading to several people being injured. However, in the neighborhood, 3 people would die, as they were still sleeping when the tornado hit. The twister would continue through the densly populated suburban North Davenport, going just north of the NorthPark Mega Mall. The tornado would then strike the commercial North Brady Street corridor, where the first EF3 damage would occur. One McDonald's would be entirely flattened, but would be found to be poorly built. The twister would then move into an industrial park, where mid EF3 damage would continue to occur. The tornado would then continue to strattle along the border of commercial and residential neighborhoods. One night employee at a Costco fuel gas station would be killed by the tornado in this area. The twister would then severely damage or destroy several places of dining along E 53rd Street, before hitting the Sleep Inn and Suites. Here, someone sleeping at the hotel would be killed after the top floor would collapse. The tornado would then cross Elmore Avenue, before then crossing I-74. The tornado would then begin slowly weakening as it would hit a mini mall area before crossing into a residential area, where it would then lift. Aftermath By morning, it was discovered that nearly 2 dozen people had died, and many more were injured. National Guardsmen from around the nation were sent to help recovery efforts, and over a million dollars were donated to help people recover. Governor Kim Reynolds would issue a state of emergency for the entire state, and Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker would issue a state of Emergency for the Illinois portion of the Quad Cities as well as Illinois City and Mt. Carroll Historic District. The Outbreak would go down as the costliest in Iowa History. Category:Tornadoes Category:Outbreaks Category:Deadly Tornadoes Category:Deadly Outbreaks Category:Costly Tornadoes Category:Costly Outbreaks Category:Violent Tornadoes Category:Violent Outbreaks Category:Midwestern Outbreaks Category:Iowa Tornadoes Category:Illinois Tornadoes Category:NewSomberMan Category:F4/EF4 Tornadoes Category:Violent Tornadoes Category:Tornadoes